This invention relates to emergency call systems, and more particularly, this invention relates to emergency call systems that monitor multiple resident apartments.
The senior living industry is rapidly growing and the need for advanced technology in communications, safety, and security systems is mandatory in order to maintain, track and respond to alarm signals, including smoke warnings, common area emergency alarms, door alarms, pendant alarms actuated by a resident, and other security and alarm features common in the senior living industry. Various prior art systems have been used in this industry, including direct connect, i.e., hard-wired systems, wireless systems, and telephone systems. For example, a direct connect (hard-wired) system allows reliable integration with dedicated wiring to provide reliability. Fixed location devices located within each resident apartment of a retirement property can initiate a call. An example would be an intercom. Smoke detectors can be used and emergency call stations, such as those having a pull cord, a check-in station, a door switch, corridor speaker, security screen, and/or other hard-wired devices as known to those skilled in the art are commonly used in direct connect systems. A drawback of a hard-wired system is the requirement of a dedicated hard-wired physical cable or line, and the expense associated with a direct copper connection or other similar communications line connection.
A wireless system, on the other hand, offers the advantage such that a dedicated copper line or other hard-wired communications line is not required. Wireless systems are typically easy to install and include personal transmitters, such as wireless pendants worn about the neck of a user, which can be user actuated by a resident to generate an alarm signal to a wireless receiver. A wireless station, such as a check-in station or emergency call station, also can be used. These devices allow a user to pull an emergency cord or line for generating a wireless alarm signal to the wireless receiver. The alarm signal can be coded for origin and identification of a resident. Wireless receivers receive the alarm signal and forward the alarm signal as an electrical communication alarm signal to a central console. One drawback of a wireless system is the lack of perfect coverage in any building and the added requirement that most residents must wear a pendant or other type of personal transmitter at all times.
Another type of system uses a standard telephone or similar device to provide a telephone system that combines some features of each of the wireless and direct connect systems. This system, however, lacks the ability to integrate common area emergency calls, door alarms, and similar alarms and calls because signals are generated from the telephone through a telephone company and require a phone line connection.
Other drawbacks of similar prior art emergency call systems include a lack of system integration and the tracking of emergency calls, alarms, and proper databases for maintaining records. Additionally, an increased number of senior residents living in larger numbers of geographically spaced properties complicate different services associated with the systems, including administrative services, increased control, database upkeep, tracking, and report generation.
The present invention is advantageous and provides an emergency call system that integrates direct connect (hard-wired), wireless and telephony systems into one emergency call system with a network adapter for Internet access and a graphical user interface for report generation and monitoring control of the system. Thus, the disadvantages of using individual systems are minimized, while the advantages of each system can be advantageously used to maintain control over an entire emergency call system, while enhancing various functions, such as report generation.
The graphical user interface of the present invention is used for tracking the operation of emergency call systems at different properties each, having a plurality of residences and an emergency call system for the property. The graphical user interface includes a report window and at least one statistical report contained within the report window and comprising one of at least a summary of emergency calls and their time, a bar chart displaying the number of alarms and time of day, a pie chart displaying an alarm type, and a line chart displaying an average response time based on time of day.
In another aspect of the present invention, user selectable icons are used for selecting reports by global premises, region, and individual properties. Another window can include text entry boxes that are displayed for entering data related to individual properties on which reports are to be generated. A create property report window can have a select property drop down box through which different properties can be selected for display and a date drop down box for selecting dates and times. An administration window can have data entry boxes for editing at least one of the properties, users, regions and zones. An administration window selects a resolution time and notification to which notification of a response time to an alarm is signaled based on the amount of time taken to respond to an alarm.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an emergency call system includes a data bus and a bus controller operatively connected to the data bus for controlling data access on the data bus. An internet module is operatively connected to the data bus for receiving alarm data regarding alarm signals from a property and transmitting the alarm data over the internet. The alarm signals are generated from one of at least a property based wireless subsystem having at least one wireless receiver and wireless device module operatively connected to the data bus; a direct connect subsystem having at least one wired station and/or sensor connected to a direct connect module that is operatively connected to the data bus, and a telephone subsystem having at least one property based telephone operatively connected to a telephone network and telephone module operatively connected to the data bus and telephone network for receiving an alarm signal from the property based telephone through the telephone network and to the telephone module.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the internet module is operatively connected to a telephone network. The internet module can also be operatively connected to an internet service provider. A server receives alarm data regarding alarm signals such that the server can be accessed by a personal computer user. This telephone network can be operatively connected to the telephone module and can comprise a public switch telephone network. An annunciator is operatively connected to the data bus and receives alert signals from one of the wireless device module, direct connect module, or telephone module for indicating an alarm signal. A printer can be operatively connected to the data bus an annunciator and logs system events in real time and/or print reports regarding system operation. A paging apparatus can also be operatively connected to the data bus for generating a paging signal in response to an alert signal. A computer can be operatively connected to the data bus and one of the telephone module, direct connect module, or wireless device module for maintaining a database of premises based alert signals.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the wireless subsystem includes one of at least a wireless pendant and/or a wireless alarm system.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the direct connect subsystem includes at least a plurality of smoke detectors, resident check-in stations, emergency call stations, door switches, intercom and/or corridor speakers. The at least one premises based telephone is operative from a wireless pendant for generating an alert signal through the telephone network to the telephone module.